Frightened Rabbit star nervous over Sleep in the Park reunion

Frightened Rabbit star Grant Hutchison has revealed his “more nervous” about playing a gig without his brother than any other in his life.

The celebrated indie-rock band’s appearance at the Sleep in the Park fundraiser in Glasgow will be their first since singer Scott Hutchison’s body was found near South Queensferry in Edinburgh nearly two days after he was reported missing in May.

The Selkirk band – who have hinted that they will play further gigs next year – played the first Sleep in the Park in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens last December and had signed up for the expanded event and decided to honour the booking as a tribute to the singer.

Grant Hutchison said: “It seemed like the right thing to do, and like a natural thing to do – to make a positive thing out of something that personally was a very tragic event – to be able to help two charities and two causes, and also to play with people that are good friends.

“I don’t think it’s something I can really prepare for. It’s going to be highly emotional, but I think the setting for it, both physically and the fact that it’s a charity event for Social Bite, means it’s a positive way to do that for the first time. I think I’ll be more nervous than I’ve ever been for a Frightened Rabbit gig before. It’ll be strange.”

Grant Hutchison took part in the Great Scottish Run in the summer in memory of his brother and to raise awarness of mental health issues.

He added: “All of us are dealing with Scott’s death on a personal level. It’s been seven months, that’s a very short time. We do have something planned which was meant to happen this year which we’ll hopefully announce at the start of the year.”

Scott Hutchison had spoken openly about mental health problems and his battles with depression before vanishing after checking out of a hotel in the early hours of 9 May.

In a statement after his body was found, Scott Hutchison’s family said he “wore his heart on his sleeve, and that was evident in the lyrics of his music and the content of many of his social media posts.

“He was passionate, articulate and charismatic, as well as being one of the funniest and kindest people we knew.

“Friends and family would all agree he had a brilliant sense of humour.”